Need table saw blade recommendations

[Chris Lukowski]

Hi Everybody,

My new DeWalt DWE7491RS should be arriving tomorrow and I'm looking for recommendations on a saw blade or two to replace the included 24T general purpose blade. I'll be a new woodworker whose initial projects will likely include basement workbenches and shelving, but will likely evolve to basic furniture like bookshelves and dressers. My stock will mostly consist of 2x pine lumber, hardwood boards for face frames, and both pine and hardwood veneer plywood.

I'm guessing I'll need at least 2 blades to start out with because I really want a good carbide plywood blade that will minimize tear-out and the other will handle rips & crosscuts in lumber (maybe a general purpose or combination blade). As for brands, I'm currently drawn to Freud/Diablo but have heard good things about Forrest too. Either way they'll have to be thin kerf blades since it's just a portable saw (don't have enough cash or space for a midsize contractor saw). Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

I've pretty much used Forrest blades since about 2000. They are not "inexpensive" but they have been sharpened many times and are still kickin'. In fact, when I upgraded to my slider, I continued to use them since my particular saw has a 5/8" arbor and I didn't need to get them bored out. Regardless of brand, buy good, high-quality blades. They cut better, stay sharper longer, can be resharpened more times and because of all of that...are potentially safer, too.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I don't see why you can't swing a full kerf blade. I've used the Freud/Diablo combination blade from the big store with good results. I later which to a Forrest blade and I've been using it ever since. I never had any issues with tear out using my thin kerf 40t Forrest blade so never got around to buying a higher tooth count.

If cash is an issue, go with the Freud blade. If it isn't I highly recommend the Forrest blade.

[Chris Lukowski]

I'm pretty sure I need to go for thin kerf blades for two reasons, 1) this is just a portable class saw with a 15-Amp motor of unknown horsepower (DeWalt customer reps aren't even sure of this spec), and 2) their manual states that the riving knife shouldn't be used with blades with plates thicker than 0.067", which is a hair under what thin kerf Freuds measure in at.

[Jim Becker]

I missed that this was a portable. Thin kerf, yes. I'd stick with mid-grade quality blades for that particular saw, too.

[Erik Loza]

Agreed: Thin-kerf for jobsite tools. I've never had an issue with the Diablos.

Erik

[Brett Luna]

I can't speak to thin kerf performance but I have full kerf rip and crosscut blades from Infinity and I've been pretty happy with them. They aren't bank breakers, either.

[Rich Riddle]

I use Tenryu on my job site saw....like them a lot.

[John Lankers]

You say you're planning to cut mostly 2 x and face frame material, in that case I would definitely go full kerf, a sharp and clean full kerf blade cuts better than a dull thin kerf blade. I used full kerf blades on a Dewalt hybrid saw for many years and even ripped 8/4 hardwood with - just took it easy. They can be resharpened many more times and don't heat up as quickly and there for don't warp as badly. A jobsite saw with 15 Amp motor will handle them just fine. I would get a crosscut blade and a rip blade first, the Diablo is a fine blade to get started.
15 Amps x 120 Volt = 1800 Watt = 2.4 hp

[Chris Lukowski]

Let's say I do consider full kerf blades. Should I be concerned that the manual explicitly states that they're too thick for the riving knife to provide adequate kickback protection b/c said knife is sized for thin kerf blades? I told Freud this was the type of saw I was getting and they recommended a thin kerf blade as well.

Also, the thing I'm most on the fence about is what kind of blade should be my workhorse for ripping and cross cutting solid wood, as some kind of plywood blade is almost a given? Should I opt for a general purpose blade, a combination blade, or something else? Any particular tooth count I should aim for?

[Prashun Patel]

I cut everything with a Freud ripping blade. Low tooth count powers through everything with minimal burning. I even use it for cross cutting.

[Larry Frank]

I would not use a full kerf blade on that saw. I would use a Freud thin kerf rip blade for most things. I have a mix of full and thin kerf blades that I use on my 3 hp cabinet saw. The thin kerf work just fine for almost everything. With a lower power saw, IMHO, using a thin kerf is the way to go.

[Raymond Seward]

I've tried them all...I use Forrest blades now pretty much exclusively.

[Chris Lukowski]

Raymond, which blades in particular do you use and for what purpose? I've heard a lot of praise for the WoodWorker II (whether full or thin kerf, I'm not sure), but not much about their other offerings. How would you say they compare to Freud?

[Rod Sheridan]

Let's say I do consider full kerf blades. Should I be concerned that the manual explicitly states that they're too thick for the riving knife to provide adequate kickback protection b/c said knife is sized for thin kerf blades? I told Freud this was the type of saw I was getting and they recommended a thin kerf blade as well.

Also, the thing I'm most on the fence about is what kind of blade should be my workhorse for ripping and cross cutting solid wood, as some kind of plywood blade is almost a given? Should I opt for a general purpose blade, a combination blade, or something else? Any particular tooth count I should aim for?

I would buy a second riving knife for thicker blades.

When I had a 120 volt saw I used full kerf blades with no issues, they're more stable than the thin kerf blades.

The important thing is to use the correct blade for the job, trying to rip with a 60 tooth blade isn't going to work, and expecting great crosscuts when using a rip blade isn't going to work either.

I have a 40 tooth FS Tools combination blade that does OK for most tasks, if I'm ripping a lot of material or thick material however I go back to the 24 tooth rip blade..........Rod.

[Justin Ludwig]

Agreed: Thin-kerf for jobsite tools. I've never had an issue with the Diablos.

Erik

+1

I keep a Diablo on my Bosch jobsite saw. Works great for what I need it to do.

[Chris Lukowski]

Also, does anybody know how the Diablo blades compare to their Freud counterparts?

[Erik Loza]

Also, does anybody know how the Diablo blades compare to their Freud counterparts?

I could be totally mistaken but always assumed the Diablo line were thin-kerf and designed specifically for jobsite tools. As opposed to regular kerf blades.

Erik

[Chris Lukowski]

I could be totally mistaken but always assumed the Diablo line were thin-kerf and designed specifically for jobsite tools. As opposed to regular kerf blades.

Erik

They are all thin kerf but Freud has thin kerf blades too, at about twice the price of their Diablo line.

[Erik Loza]

They are all thin kerf but Freud has thin kerf blades too, at about twice the price of their Diablo line.

Hmmm... You have me in that case. No clue but I'd be curious to know, as well. There must be a reason. Maybe cheaper base metal for the disc or cheaper carbide? Though I have no complaints with the Diablos. One of the better jobsite blades, in fact.

Erik

[Todd Davidson]

Difference as relayed by Freud's president on this forum a few years ago......

"All Freud blades come from the same machines in the same manufacturing plant. We make our own micrograin carbide in numerous formulations that represent various degrees of hardness. The carbide is selected depending on the intended application (the hardest is used for laminates the softest for ripping) as are the tooth angles and tooth quantity. The steel for the blade plates is all the same grade. The brazing is all the same. The key differences between the 3 main lines of Freud blades are:

The LU/LM Industrial blades have the thickest tips for the most resharpenings and are generally full kerf. We also offer the most selection of specialty blades in this line. These have the most appeal to professionals who need to get a lot of sharpenings out of a blade and to artisans who need specialty blades for their projects.

The TK and Diablo lines are very similar. Both are thin kerf blades and the tip thickness is the same. The key difference is in the way we market these blades. The Diablo line has blades intended for purposes like framing, siding, decking and general home improvement and is packaged and promoted in ways that appeal to contractors and DIYers. The TK line has blades for similar purposes (as well as laminate blades) but is sold with different or no coating and different packaging and POP material to appeal more to woodworkers.

Do professional woodworkers shop for blades at Home Depot? Probably some do and they can get excellent performance from a Diablo blade for a lot of their uses but with a shorter overall life (and lower cost) due to the tip thickness. Same with the TK blades at Lowe's.

Why not compare a TK or Diablo blade to Forrest? Consider this analogy: Toyota cars and Lexus cars share a lot of the same components and are made by the same company. Would you compare a Camry with a BMW?

We make a fourth line of blades (F400 Premier series) that is very similar to the WWII and is priced similarly. The difference between ours and Forrest's is that ours is made by computer controlled, super modern equipment and theirs is made by hand. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages but I leave the final verdict to the consumer."

Charles M
Freud, Inc.

[Larry Frank]

Thank you Todd for bringing that quote up. It makes a lot of sense

[Chris Lukowski]

Double thanks to Todd, that's a great summary! The other thing I just found out, if the info on Amazon is correct, is that Freud blades are made in Italy and Diablo blades are made in China [ETA: Amazon isn't correct, they're made in Italy].

[Erik Loza]

There you have it! Thanks as well, Todd. I would swear my Diablo says "Made in Italy" but not motivated enough to go out to the garage to check.

Erik

[Jacob Barnhart]

The Diablo blades I have are made in Italy, but you are right, Amazon is saying China now.

I have a few Freud Industrial blades, a few Diablos and one Marples 50T. One thing I prefer with the Diablos over the Freud blades I have is the kerf is the same on them. I don't have to recalibrate the scale on my fence when I change blades. I have a Freud thin kerf 50T combo blade and it is thinner than my Freud thin kerf 24T rip blade. The Freud thin kerf rip is pretty close to the Diablo's kerf so I mostly use it and then have a 60T Diablo for crosscutting hardwood and an 80T Diablo for cutting plywood.

If I were the OP with the saw he's getting, i'd just get the 50T Diablo. I had one and it was fantastic (maybe even better than the Freud TK 50T). I just switched to the Freud 24T TK Rip when I had to rip 8/4 Walnut and Hard Maple. The 50t would cut it, but the 24t made it a lot easier. Then since I was pretty much just using the 50T for crosscutting, I figured i'd get a dedicated cross cut blade. Then one for plywood. It's a slippery slope :)

[Chris Lukowski]

Thanks Jacob! As a novice I'll only be using these for occasional projects so I don't necessarily need the longevity of pro blades in terms of multiple resharpenings, but I did want the pro results and clean cuts. If Diabo blades will suit that fine I can start with them. I just wanted to make the right choice now before I cut into an expensive sheet of hardwood ply.

[Chris Lukowski]

FYI I just stopped at Home Depot and picked up a Diablo D1050X 50T Combination Blade to use when I assemble my new saw this weekend (I'll keep the included 24T blade to the side). I'll let you know how I like it! Also of note, Amazon has it wrong when it comes to COO. They are still made in Italy. Also, as it turns out, there seems to be an updated 2016 model with updated vent/anti-vibe locations that were mixed in with the 2015 stock. The dates are etched on the blades. Glad I didn't order it online or I might have missed out!

[charlie gabriel]

Forrests hand down

[Erik Loza]

Forrests hand down

Just my opinion but on a jobsite saw, I wouldn't spend any more than what something like a Diablo costs. We have a number of blades for the shop slider, including a Forrest, and it's fine but I would make the argument that on an underpowered jobsite saw, you want the lightest blade you can get away with.

Erik

[Raymond Seward]

Woodworker II exclusively....I have 2 of them....one thin kerf and one 1/8

[scott spencer]

I'd definitely go with a sharp clean 3/32" thin kerf blade for that saw. It''ll offer lower resistance which should give better motor life.

The Freud Diablo and Irwin Marples lines are a pretty good bang for the buck....both made in Italy, both offer a lot of performance for the buck.

Infinity makes top notch blades that won't break the bank. They offer performance that's as good or better than any other I've tried, and usually offer it at a lower price.

Forrest makes excellent blades, but they're pretty expensive. Considering that it's for a jobsite saw, it's harder to justify the cost IMO.

CMT Industrial, Freud Industrial, Ridge Carbide, and Tenryu Gold Medal are also all solid choices.

Which blade (http://lumberjocks.com/knotscott/blog/12395)(s) to go with is an executive decision you'll have to make. A good general purpose or combo blade can do a lot of things well for the cost and convenience of one blade, but they aren't excellent at any cutting tasks compared to good dedicated purpose blades when used within their intended ranges.

[Stew Hagerty]

Hands down, my favorite blade is Freud's thin kerf combination blade. I leave it in my saw for probably 80% of my cuts. It rips & crosscuts very well with little tearout. I really only change it out when I'm going to be cutting a lot of plywood or doing a lot of ripping. It also has flat top rakers which is great because you don't get those ridges when you use it to make multiple cuts without switching to a dado blade. And it's priced very well too at $53.97 on Amazon with free Prime shipping if you are a member.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020JOAA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Stew Hagerty]

Also, does anybody know how the Diablo blades compare to their Freud counterparts?

The Diablo is their contractor line of blades. They're intended for jobsite use not really woodworking.

[Peter Kelly]

Hitachi 10" saw blades are excellent and very reasonably priced. Packaging mysteriously states "Made in EU" though I've heard they're produced by Leitz.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-725206-72-Teeth-Tungsten-Carbide/dp/B00006412D
https://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-310878-40-Teeth-Tungsten-Carbine/dp/B0006HKCWS
https://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-311128-24-Teeth-Tungsten-Carbide/dp/B0006HKCVE

At $33 for a 10" 72 tooth ATB, you can buy several so there's always a sharp one around.